Combined type-writing and computing machine.



W. WRIGHT.

COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 1912.- I

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2. I912.

WITN ESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER WRIGHT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD COMPUTINGMACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF YORK.

COMBINED TYPE-WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

Application filed April 2, 1912. Serial No. 688,014.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing in Xew York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinedType-Vriting and Computing Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to computing machines, and is especially adaptedto be used with combined typewriting and computing machines. It isherein illustrated substantially as an improvement on co-pending applications N0. 677,0l6, filed February 12, 1912 and No. 679,851, filedFebruary 26, 1912.

In said applications, the numeral keys of a typewriter are disclosed asdriving and locking a master wheel which operates scrim/m on computingwheels in a totalizer or register in a manner determined by the travelof the typewriter carriage.

In said applications the main drive shaft operating the master wheel isillustrated as normally free to revolve except for a universal lockwhich holds it. When a numeral key is operated, this universal lock isdisabled, but at the same time, an individual key-operated lock isthrown in. This lock is shown as forming part of an intermediate drivingunit; and this unit. comprising the lock and a gear associated with itpositively locks or positively drives the main drive shaft until the keythen moving has completed its operation of the computing mechanism.

. The numeral key in said applications op erates this driving andlocking unit through a partly toothed segment, which segment alwayspositively drives or positively locks said unit. Further, there aredisclosed in said applications full stroke mechanism, so that it isimpossible to incompletely operate a numeral key.

In the present invention a universal lock is preferably provided for themaster wheel shaft which is positively moved into and out of operativeposition, and this is preferably accomplished by means of cams whichform part of the above described unit comprising the gearwhich drivesthe main drive shaft.

Also means are preferably provided for positively locking the totalizerand the master wheel against transverse relative movement while themaster wheel is being turned, and since the master wheel is preferablyalways held locked, the parts are preferably so arranged that either-thetotalizer is locked against movement transverse to the master wheel, orelse the master wheel itself is locked in its normal idle position.Positive means are also provided for releasing the lock.

In the applications aforesaid the master wheel shaft, as has beenpointed out, is always either positively locked or positively driven bygears operated by the numeral keys. In the construction thereindisclosed, when a full stroke mechanism is not employed, if a numeralkey is pushed down far enough to unlock the locking and driving unitandrotate the master wheel, but not far enough to lock the unit again byits segment,if then the numeral key is allowed '.to rise again, themaster wheel will be rotated backward to the same extent that it wasrotated forward on the depression of the key.

In the present invention means are preferably provided for preventingthis reverse movement of the master wheel, preferably by fixing aratchet on the main drive shaft on which a pawl operates, so that it isimpossible for the main drive shaft to rotate in the reverse direction.Owing to the fact that the numeral keys are positively geared to themain drive shaft when they move it, this ratchet will prevent a numeralkey from being operated in the reverse direction until it has turned themaster wheel to the proper extent. In other words, the pawl and ratchetconstitute a full stroke device and may replace the ordinary fullstrokemechanisms.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents a side view of an Underwood typewritin machine,showing my invention as applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of a totalizer and some of the drivingparts.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the same.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show the arrangement of parts in the successivepositions of a numeral key, as it is being depressed.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of part of the gearing between a numeralkey and the master wheel shaft,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view looking in the opposite direction of partof Fig. 7.

Numeral keys 1 and alphabet keys 2 depress levers 3 to operate bellcranks 1 to swing type bars 5 upwardly and rearwardly against a platen6. Heels 7 on said type bars move a universal bar 8 to move dogs 9 topermit the carriage 10 carrying said platen 6 to be drawn forward inletter-feeding direction by a spring barrel 11. Said carriage movesalong with it, by means of an arm 12 a totalizer or register 13 on atotalizer carriage 14, the latter riding on rollers 15 and 16 in eachdirection.

In said totalizer are number wheels 17 driven seriatz'm by a masterwheel 18 through intermediate wheels 19 of which there is one for everynumber wheel. Said master wheel is driven from the numeral keys 1, in amanner to be hereafter described, as it successively engages theintermediate wheels 19 which travel past it step-by-step as thetotalizer moves with the typewriter carnage.

From each numeral key 1 .a link 20 rises to a segment 21 pivoted onshaft 22. These segments may be identical for each numeral key and theyhave cut in them near one edge teeth "3 which are arranged to engagewith teeth 24 on a mutilated gear wheel 25 loose on a fixed shaft 26. Ateach end of said segment is formed a flat surface which is arranged tocotiperate with the mutilated portion of said gear wheel 25 and lock itagainst rotation. The fiat surface 29 at the upper end of the segment isof the same height as the teeth 23.

The flat surface at the rear end of said segment is lower than the teeth23, and said surface ends in a raised portion 28, as seen in Fig. 4.When the segment returns to the position shown in Fig. 4, this raisedportion'28 engages the tooth 31 on the mutilated gear 25, and moves saidgear slightly, so as to move the tooth 30 on said mutilated gear intocontact with the flat surface 27, so that when said segment againrotates downwardly, its teeth 23 will positively strike the. tooth 30 ofsaid gear wheel 25 to rotate the same.

There are a sufficient number of teeth on said segment, so that saidwheel 25 is given precisel one full rotation at each full operation 0its segment, and it is locked at the completion of said rotation by theflat surface 29 at the upper end of the segment. The end teeth 30, 31 onsaid gear wheel 25 are much broader than the remaining teeth (see Fig.3) and are arranged on the return stroke of the segment to ride on araised flat surface 32 (see Fig. 3) on the segment formed at the side ofthe teeth 23, so that during the return stroke, it is impossible for thegear wheel 25 to turn.

The depressions 33 and 34 in the segment, (see Fig. 3), into which saidteeth 30, 31 sink during the rotation of the gear wheel 25 by thesegment, are cut broad enough to accommodate the full width of saidteeth, so that said broad teeth furnish no obstacle to the rotation ofsaid gear wheel 25 on the down stroke of a numeral key. In Fig. 6 isshown the relation of a segment to its gear at the end of the depressionof a numeral key 9; and the broad teeth 30 and 31 are shown resting onthe flat surface 29.

When the key operating the segment is released and the segment rises,the tooth 31 will fail to mesh with the depression 33, owing to someslight friction of the parts, and after this depression has passed saidtooth 31, the gear wheel 25 is locked by the raised surface 32 on saidsegment until the key rises to its normal position. WVhen in its normalposition, the mutilated gear 25 is held locked by the flat surface 28.

Formed as a unit with said gear wheel 25 and likewise loose on shaft 26,is a second gear wheel 35 having a number of teeth proportional to thenumeral key operating it, the one shown in Figs. 7 and 8 being the onefor the numeral key 9 d h i i teeth. It will therefore be observed thateach full revolution of the wheel 25, which takes place upon thedepression of its numeral key, will rotate the corresponding wheel 35and son'otate the main drive shaft 55 through gear 55 on said shaft withwhich said gear wheel 35 engages, to an extent dependent upon the numberof teeth in said wheel 35. Said drive shaft 55 is positively geared atall times to the master wheel 18 so that when said shaft revolves themaster wheel revolves, and when said shaft is locked the master wheel islocked.

It will be observed that said wheel 35 is a mutilated wheel, and inorder to lock the master wheel. against rotation durin the idle portionof rotation of said whee 35, a cam 36 is formed as a unit with saidwheel and is arranged to cotiperate with-a Geneva lock 37 on the maindrive shaft 55. This cam is cut away as at 38 to permit the teeth on thewheel 35 to rotate the master wheel, and is also cut away at .39, sothat the master wheel shaft is normally unlocked in so far as this camis concerned. Since there is a different gear wheel 35 for each numeralkey,-there is for each of said gear wheels a gear 55*, and there is aGeneva lock 37 and cam 36 for each gear wheel 35.

There is also fixed on the end of said main drive shaft a universal lock40 which may be identical with the individual Geneva locks 37, and withwhich coperates a universal lock arm 41 controlled from the numeralkeys. All the parts hitherto described are substantially similar tothose described in the aforesaid applications.

In the present invention this lock arm 41 may be normally held effectiveby means of a very light spring 42. This lock is however, positivelymoved into and out of effective position by means of a link 43 on an arm44 formed as a bell crank with said look arm 41; said link 43 beingoperated by an arm 45 fast on shaft 46. On said shaft 46 there arefastened for each numeral key two cam fingers 47 and 48, which arearranged to coiperate with cams 49 and 50 which, together with thepreviously described wheels 25 and 35 and the lock 36, form a drivingunit. There is one such unit for each numeral key and one such unit isseen in Fig. 8, loose as a sleeve on shaft 26.

Each pair of cams 49 and 50, therefore, turns positively with its gearwheel 25 as it is driven by its segment 21. In the normal position seenat Fig. 4 the cam finger 48 is resting on the lowest surface of the cam50. During the time that the segment 21 moves with the depression of anumeral key from its normal position to a position. where it begins torotate the wheel 25 by means of its teeth 23, the cam 50 will turn, sothat its raised portion 51 will swing the cam finger 48 outward (seeFig. 5), rocking the shaft 46 and through the arm 45 moving the lockingarm 41 to ineffective position. The cam 49 is cut away as shown at 52 inorder to permit the finger 47 to rock inwardly as the finger 48 rocksoutwardly.

The raised portion 51 of cam 50 continues around a large portion of itscircumference, so that said finger 48 may hold the universal lockineffective during all the time-the gear wheel 35 is turning the maindrive shaft. After said turning, however, is completed, the cam 49 hasturned around until its raised portion 53 strikes the cam finger 47 asseen in Fig. 6; thus rocking shaft 46 and positively moving theuniversal lock 41 back into effective position. The cams 49 and 50 maybe made identical for each numeral key.

The universal lock is, therefore, positively positioned by movement ofthe driving units into ineffective position during their motion and intoeffective position at the end of their motion.- It will, therefore, beobserved that drawn against this ratchet wheel by means of a spring 57preventing the backward operation of said main drive shaft. Therefore,if a numeral key is depressed sufliciently to start said main driveshaft turning, the return of said numeral key will be impossible untilit has substantially completed its stroke in turning the unit comprisingits gear wheel 25. Thus ratchet wheel 54 together with its pawl 56constitute a full-stroke mechanism.

On the totalizer carriage 14 is formed a' rack 58. The teeth 59 of thisrack correspond to the letter-spacing of the machine; and a lockingtooth 60 is arranged to be projected in betweensaid teeth 59 so thatwhen the master wheel is engaged with a wheel on said totalizer, saidtooth can enter said rack and lock the totalizercarriage againstmovement. Said tooth 60 is operated by an arm 61 fast on shaft 46, whichoperates the universal locking arm 41; said shaft is as has been seen'controlled by the cams 49 and 50.

It will therefore be seen that when a numeral key is depressed, thetooth 60 is projected upward into rack 58 and is held therein duringpart of the downward stroke of the numeral key; and during this downward stroke, the entire rotation of the master wheel takes place. Atother times the master wheel is positively held locked against rotationby the locking mechanisms heretofore described, and at. such times, theteeth of said master wheel will always positively aline with the teethof the totalizer wheels. Therefore, the totalizer is always lookedagainst movement unless the master wheel is locked in its normal idleposition, so that its teeth will positively aline with the teeth on thetotalizer wheels, and the master wheel is always held locked in itsnormal position when the totalizer is free to move. For, if a key iscaught part way down, the tooth 60 is engaged with the rack 58 and locksthe carriage against movement. The master wheel 18 is driven from theshaft through a wheel 62 fast on said shaft.

It will also be noted that it is impossible to completely depress anumeral key unless the shaft 46 returns to its normal position, that isunless the tooth is withdrawn from the rack 58. Also since there is afull stroke mechanism (shown here as awl 56 and ratchet 54) it will beimpossib e for a numeral ke to rise unless its down stroke is com leteTherefore, if tooth 60 should jam, t e key operated will be locked down.It will also be noted that owing to the arrangement of the parts, thetooth 60 is positively projected upward, only after the numeral key,then being operated, is well started on its downward course. But beforethe numeral key reaches the point where, in the Underwood escapement,the universal bar is operated, said tooth has been withdrawn and thecomputing mechanism has completed practically its entire movement.

It will also be noted that there is practically no spring pressure to beovercome in the operation of a numeral key. The, sprin 42, as has beenpointed out, may be excee ingly light,'because it need play no part inreturning the parts to position, and the only other spring included inthe form herein disclosed, operates pawl 56 and may also be madeexceedin ly light. It will fur- .ther be seen that as t e numeral keystarts downward, it first starts the segment, and when this has acquiredsome momentum, it starts the rocking and driving unit, which in turn,after obtaining some momentum, turns the master wheel. Whatreciprocating parts there are may be so light as to be unnoticeable inthe movement of the numeral key.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the im rovements may be used without others.

aving thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a computing machine, the combination with a master wheel operatingsem'atim on number wheels, of keys for operating said masterwheel,.means forholdin said master wheel positively locked or positivelydriven during the operation of a ke a un1 versal lock normally holdingsai master wheel locked, and separate means operated by each numeral keyfor positively locking ilntllx for positively unlocking said universal2. In a computing machine, the combination with a master wheel operatinseriatz'm on number wheels, of a rack an a tooth projectable into saidrack for locking said master wheel and number wheels against relativetransverse movement, means controlled by a numeral key for carryingnumbers through said master wheel into said number wheels, and means forpositivel moving said tooth into and outof said rac with the movement ofa numeral key.

3. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination withnumeral keys, register wheels and a master .wheel, of a travelingcarriage controlling the relation of said register wheels and masterwheel, an

ating both locks.

escapement feeding said carriage by said keys on their upward stroke,means controlling said master wheel, so that it rotates on the downwardstroke of said keys, a lock holding said carriage against movement 1during the time that said master wheel may turn, and means forpositively withdrawing said lock by the operation of a numeral key.

4. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination withnumeral kays, register wheels and a master wheel, of a traveling carriacontrolling the relation of said register w eels and master wheel, anescapement feedin said carriage by said keys on their upwar stroke, agear rotating said master wheel on the down stroke of a numeral key, anda lock positively moved by said gear during its initial movement to locksaid carriage against movement, and positively moved by said gear duringits final movement to unlock said carriage.

5. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination withnumeral ke s, register wheels and a master wheel, 0 a traveling carriacontrolling the relation of said register w eels and master wheel, meansfor controlling said master wheel controlled by said keys, a lock forsaid carriage, a lock for said master wheel, and a single shaft moved bya numeral key oper- 6. In a computing machine, the combination with comuting wheels and a master wheel arranged to engage them seriatim, of atraveling carriage controlling said'engagement, keys for driving saidmaster wheel and controlling said carriage, a lock for said carriage,means for moving said lock to effective position by the drivingoperation of a numeral ke and means for positively moving said to.ineffective position by the completion of said driving operation.

7. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination,with numeral keys, 3 master wheel, and traveling carriage; of a shaftfor drivin said master wheel; a series of units for locking and drivingsaid shaft, each of said keys having a unit individual thereto andpositively driving the same; and a lock operated by each unit for holdinsaid carriage against movement while sai master wheel and shaft arebeing turned by a unit.

8. In a comblned typewriting and computing machine, the combination,with numeral keys and a traveling carria of a master wheel; means forturning said master wheel and ositively holding it locked both immediatey before and immediately after it is turned bv a numeral key; means forlocki said carriage against movement while sai master wheel is turning;and a single controlling means for controlling the action of both saidlocks.

9. In a computing machine, the combination with a masterwheel and a setof keys for rotating the same, of a universal lock for sand master.wheel, and cams 47,- 48, 49, :50, controlled by the keys for positivelymovmg said look into and out of operative posi- 10. In a computingmachine, the ombination-with keys, 9. master wheel and means to enablethe keys to rotate the .master wheel, of a universal lock for the masterwheel, cams 47, 48,and cams. cooperating therewith and formin part of aunit comprising a gear whic drives themaster wheel, and means controlledby said camsto positively move the universal lock into and out ofoperative position.

. 11. The combination with a master wheel, of means for lockin thetotalizer and master wheel against re. ative traveling while the masterwheel turns, means for holding "said master wheel normally locked, andcams 49, 50, 47 48, for either locking the totalizer against movementtransverse to the. master yflllieel, or else locking the masterwheelitself 1 t 12. In a combined typewriting and com- .puting machine, the.combination, with a master wheel, and a shaft to drive the same; of aset of computing wheels; a traveling carriage providing relativetraversebetween said master wheel: and said computing wheels; .9,lockengage'able with said carriage to'hold the latter against movement;driving connections, between said keys and said v shaft; and separatecams on said shaft 00- acting with said carriage lock, one to p'osi--tively render it effective, andthe other to.

positively release it; v 13.In a combined typewritmg andcom putingmachine, the combination, with a master wheel, and a shaft to drive thesame; of a set of computing wheels, a traveling carriage providingrelative traverse between said master wheel and .said computing wheels;a rock shaft parallel with thefirstnamed shaft' a lock connected to saidrock shaft to be shifted thereby into and out of engagement with saidcarriage; driving connections between said keys and said firstnamedshaft and separate cams on said firstnamed shaft coacting with saidrockshaft to rock the latter in opposite directions, so as to positivelyefl'ect theengagement and dis-. engagement of said lock.

14; In a combined typewriting and puting machine, the combination, witha master wheel, and a shaft to drive the same; of a set of computingwheels, a traveling carriage providing relative traverse between .ingfsaid lock positively: into and out of said master wheel and saidcomputing-wheels;

a rock shaft parallel with the first-named shaft; a pair of fingersonsaid rock shaft for rocking it first in one direction and then in theother; a lock connected to said rock COIII- shaft to be shifted therebyfirst intoand then out of engagement with said carriage; drivingconnections between said keys and said first-named shaft; and separatecams on said first-named shaft for .coaction with said fingers.

15. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination,with a master wheel, and a shaft to drive the same;

of a set of computing wheels; a traveling carriage providlng relativetraverse between said master wheel and said computin wheels; a rackfixed to said carriage; a tooth movable alternately into and out ofengagement with said rack, to alternately lock and release said carriagedriving connections between saidkeys and said shaft; and separatewheels; a rock shaft parallel with the first-- named shaft; a pair offingers on said rock shaft for rocking it first in one direction andthen in the other; a rack fixed to said carriage; a tooth connected tosaid. rockshaft to be alternately'moved thereby into and out ofengagement with said rack, to

alternately lock and release said carriage driving connections betweensaidkeys an said first-named shaft; and separate cams on saidfirst-named shaft forcoaction with said fingers. :17. In a combinedtypewriting and computing machine, the combination with nu meral ke sand a travelingcarriage', 'of a master w eel, means intermediate saidkeys and said master wheel comprising units always making one completerevolution in the same direction at each" key stroke for turning saidmaster wheel, a lock normally holding said master wheel, a lock forboldin said carriage, a connection between said loc ks so that one isalways eifectivewhen the other is ineifective,'-and means moved by saidunits for positively moving said locks into and out of effectiveposition.

18. In a combined typewritingand computing machine, the combination withnumeral keys and a master wheel, of a unit for each numeral key driventhrough a comways revolving in the same direction, a lock for-saidmaster wheel, and means for mov-- plete revolution at'eachfkey strokeand almeral keys and a traveling carriage, of a unit for each numeralkey driven through a complete revolution at each key stroke and alwaysrevolving in the same direction, a lock for said traveling carriage, andmeans for moving said lock positively into and out of effective positionby the revolution of each unit.

20. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combinationwith nuineral keys, a traveling carriage and a master wheel, of a lockfor said master wheel, a lock for said carriage, a connection be tweensaid locks so that one is always effective when the other isineffective, a unit for each numeral key driven a complete revolution,at each key stroke and always revolving in the same direction, and meansdriven by said unit for positively moving saiid locks into and out ofefiective position.

21. In a computing machine, the combination with a master wheel and atraveling carriage, of a series of keys for turning said master wheel, adriving unit always rotating in the same direction for each key to soturn the master wheel, a lock for said carriage, and means operated bysaid unit for moving said lock to effective and then to ineffectiveposition on the downstroke of a key.

22. The combination, with numeral keys and a traveling carriage; of amaster wheel; a unit actuated by each key for driving said master wheel;a lock for said master wheel; a lock for said carriage; and a commoncontrolling means for both locks positively operated to both locking andunlocking positions by said units.

23. The combination, with numeral keys and a traveling carriage; of amaster wheel; a unit actuated by each key for driving said master wheel;a lock for said master wheel; a lock for said carriage; a member commonto all of said units to be operated thereby; and connecting meansbetween said member and both of said locks for positively operating thelatter from the former in both directions.

24. The combination with a rotatable master Wheel, a traveling carriageand a lock for said carriage, of means for rotating said master wheel,and means connected to said master wheel rotating means for positivelymaking said lock effective and ineffective.

25. The combination with a traveling carriage and a master wheel, ofmeans for positively'completely locking the carriage before the masterwheel turns, and for positively unlocking said carriage after the masterwheel has completely'ceased turning.

26. The combination with a master wheel and a traveling carriage, oflocks for holding said master Wheel against turning unless it ispositively turned, a lock for holding said carriage, and meanscontrolling the master wheel for making all said locks effecing, and theother for positively unlocking said lock.

29. In a computing machine, the combination with a master wheel and atravelin carriage, of keys for controlling them, a 100 for positivelyholding said master wheel against rotation, a lock for holding saidcarriage against traveling, positive connections between said locks sothat said locks are always alternately effective, and positively-actingconnections from said keys to said locks.

30. The combination, with a master Wheel, and a set of numeral keys forrotating the same; of a universal lock for said master wheel; meansdriven by said keys for positively moving said look into operativeposition; and means, separate from the firstnamed means, driven by saidkeys for positively moving said lock out of operative position.

31. The combination, with a master shaft;

of a series of numeral keys; a connection between each key and saidshaft for rotating the latter upon the d pression of a key; a. universallock for said shaft, comprising a. locking plate fixed to the shaft andan arm cooperative therewith; a rock shaft; a single connection betweensaid rock shaft and said arm, fonpositively moving said arm alternatelyinto and out of engagement with said plate; and connections between saidrock shaft and the first-named connections, for positively turning saidrock shaft alternately in opposite directions.

32. The combination, with a master wheel, a shaft for driving it, and aset of numeral keys for controlling the rotation of said shaft; of auniversal lock for said shaft; a pair of cams controlled by each key; acounter-shaft; pairs of arms on said counter-shaft for co-action' withsaid pairs of cams, to cause rotation of. said counter-shaft first inone direction and then in the other; and connections between saidcounter-shaft and said lock for positively locking and unand a numeralkey for driving it; of a pairof reversely-arranged cams controlled bysaid key; a counter-shaft; a pair of reversely-arranged arms on saidcounter-shaft,

one arm c -actingwith each cam, so as to the latter alternately out ofand into effeccause rotatlon of said counter-shaft first in tiveposition. one direction and then in the other; a universal lock for saidmaster shaft, said lock WALTER WRIGHT comprising a movable controllingmember; Witnesses:

and connections between said counter-shaft C. RIPLEY,

and said controlling member for. shifting EDWARD THOMAS.

Gonies of this patent may be obtained of five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatentl,

. Washington, D. 0.

